1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a fuel cell vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typical solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells include a solid polymer electrolyte membrane made of a polymer ion exchange membrane. Each fuel cell has an electrolyte-membrane electrode assembly (MEA) in which an anode electrode is disposed on one side of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane and a cathode electrode is disposed on the other side of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane. The anode electrode and the cathode electrode each include a catalyst layer (electrode catalyst layer) and a gas diffusion layer (porous carbon).
The electrolyte-membrane electrode assembly is tightly held by separators (bipolar plates) to form a fuel cell. A predetermined number of such fuel cells are stacked one on top of another to be used as a vehicle-mounted fuel cell stack, which is mounted on a fuel cell vehicle.
In a fuel cell vehicle, a fuel gas tank (hydrogen tank) is disposed in, for example, a rear portion of the vehicle (on the trunk lid or under the floor). This disposition is determined in consideration of various kinds of contraption to detect a gas leakage from the fuel gas tank.
For example, a fuel cell vehicle disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-292190 includes a fuel cell system disposed under the vehicle floor, a fuel cell controlling device, a hydrogen sensor, and a breaking device. The hydrogen sensor detects a hydrogen leakage and the breaking device cuts off a hydrogen gas fed from a hydrogen tank. The fuel cell system includes fuel cells, a hydrogen tank, a hydrogen supply pipe through which a hydrogen gas is fed from the hydrogen tank to the fuel cells, and a hydrogen ejection pipe through which a hydrogen exhaust gas exhausted from the fuel cells is ejected.
A vehicle controlling device that controls the vehicle and that is connected to the fuel cell controlling device using a first connection cable is disposed on the vehicle floor. A through hole through which the first connection cable is routed is formed in the vehicle floor. The through hole is located at a position away from a hydrogen gas flow area over which a hydrogen leakage can occur.
In this manner, no through hole is formed in a portion of the floor surface located above an area between the fuel cells and the hydrogen tank, over which a hydrogen leakage can occur. Thus, the fuel cell vehicle is described as being capable of preventing a hydrogen gas from entering into the vehicle interior above the floor in case of an occurrence of a hydrogen leakage.